Blocking device for locking sliding closures

ABSTRACT

A locking bar for sliding closures having a main portion and a shorter hinged portion is described. Mounted on the main portion are two spring-loaded retractable sliding bolts, which mate with pre-drilled holes in the base of one closure frame member. The locking bar is inserted in the track of the other closure member with the sliding bolts engaging the holes, so as to prevent either closure from being opened from the outside by an intruder. However, the relatively short hinged member may be swung to an upright position by means of a recessed finger pull, thus permitting one sliding closure member to be cracked for ventilation while at the same time preventing ingress through the closure.

United States Patent Shiffler et al.

[ June 28, 1974 BLOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING SLIDING CLOSURES [76]Inventors: George M. Shiffler; H. H. Baskin,

.lr., both of 1275 Cleveland St., Clearwater, Fla. 33515 [22] Filed:Dec. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 311,106

[52] U.S. Cl. 49/450, 292/262 [5]] Int. Cl E05d 13/06 [58] Field ofSearch 49/449, 450; 292/262, 263

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,554,592 7/l968 Katz 49/449X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,067,938 5/l967 Great Britain 49/450Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Berman, Bishoff& Platt ABSTRACT A locking bar for sliding closures having a mainportion and a shorter hinged portion is described. Mounted on the mainportion are two spring-loaded retractable sliding bolts, which mate withpre-drilled holes in the base of one closure frame member. The lockingbar is inserted in the track of the other closure member with thesliding bolts engaging the holes, so as to prevent either closure frombeing opened from the outside by an intruder. However, the relativelyshort hinged member may be swung to an upright position by means of arecessed finger pull, thus permitting one sliding closure member to becracked for ventilation while at the same time preventing ingressthrough the closure.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing'Figures l BLOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING SLIDINGCLOSURES This invention relates generally to blocking apparatus forlocking sliding doors and/or windows, and more particularly relates tosuch a blocking device which permits a sliding closure to be partiallyopened, while at the same time effectively preventing unauthorized entrythrough the closure.

In common use in many homes are doors, windows and other closures whichhave either one slidably mounted panel and a fixed panel or two slidablymounted panels, either or both of which may be slid from the closedposition to open the closure. While such closures are of great estheticvalue in providing a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape, theyare notoriously easy prey for the enterprising burglar. It has become aparticular problem in recent years when the number of burglariescommitted in suburban areas containing homes which normally employ suchsliding closures, has increased to alarming proportions.

The principal problem with sliding glass closures of the type describedabove, has, of course, been the fact that they are normally equippedwith woefully inadequate locking devices. Typically, the lock providedwith such closures constitutes a piece of metal associated with a doorhandle mechanism and which is positioned in a slot or crevice located inthe frame immediately adjacent the sliding glass door when the door isin a fully closed and locked position. Such locks may be easily opened,as is well known, by burglars or other persons desiring unauthorizedaccess to the dwelling,

by using a screw driver or similar object to pry the lock into an openposition.

Various prior art solutions to the above-described problem have beentried, but all have suffered from one or more serious disadvantages. Forexample, the locking bar shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,920 to Cohen etal, is extremely unsightly, since it extends directly across the windowpane. The patent to Silk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,293, suffers from asimilar esthetic disadvantage since when in use, it is in plain sightand rather ungainly in appearance. Moreover, the blocking element in theaforesaid patent to Silk is limited in its application to single slidingpanels which slide on the inside of the fixed panel and is, therefore,of limited value. A particularly significant disadvantage of the lockingdevices disclosed in the aforesaid United States patents, which is alsofound in another locking element shown in the U.S. Pat. to Mohun, No.3,622,190, is their inability to provide for ventilation withoutcompletely removing the blocking element from its operative position.Thus, if it were desired to sleep in a room having a sliding closure,the prior art devices would either require the closure to be completelyclosed, with the attendant lack of adequate ventilation or the lockingdevice to be completely removed with a resulting complete loss of thesecurity ostensibly ofiered by such devices.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea locking device for sliding closures of the single or double type whichovercomes the above-described disadvantages of the prior art devices.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide alocking device for sliding closures of the single or double-type whichallows the closure to be partially opened, while at the same timeaffording the occupant of the dwelling security against unwantedintrusion from the outside.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking devicefor sliding closures of the single or double-type, which prevents such aclosure from being forcibly opened from the outside without completelysmashing the door or window.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lockingdevice for sliding closures of the single or double type, which iseasily installed, readily removable from the inside of the dwelling andwhich is unobtrusive when in use.

Briefly, the locking device of the present invention comprises ablocking bar which seats in the track of the sliding closure. The barcomprises a longer portion hinged to a shorter portion which may belifted from the track when it is desired to partially open the closurefor ventilation purposes. The longer portion of the bar is provided withtwo spring-loaded retractable sliding bolts, which mate with pre-drilledholes in the base of the outside closure frame member.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will bemore readily appreciated from a consideration of the following detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the locking device of the presentinvention installed in a sliding closure assembly which is partiallybroken away;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIG. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the locking device of the presentinvention;

FIG.- 4 is a front elevational view of the locking device of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the locking device of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, it can be seen that the locking device ofthe present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 15,is designed by virtue of its two legs 26 to fit into the inside track 14on which the right hand sliding closure rides. As shown in FIG. 1, thesliding door or window arrangement comprises a right-hand panel, asviewed in FIG. I, consisting of glass pane l3 enclosed within metalframe member 16 and a left-hand panel consisting of glass pane I0enclosed within metal frame 11. As illustrated in FIGS. I and 2, boththe left-hand and right-hand panels are slidable, frame 11 riding ontrack 12 and frame 16 riding on track 14, but it should be understoodthat the present invention is equally applicable to an arrangementwherein either one of the panels is, slidable and the other fixed.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the locking device of the presentinvention comprises a main long bar portion 22 and a shorter bar portion24, interconnected by hinge 20, so that portion 24 may be swung upwardlyas shown in the dotted line position in FIG. 4. Recessed finger pullring 21 is provided in portion 24 to permit that portion to be pivotedabout hinge 20.

Provided in main bar portion 22 are sliding bolts 18, shown in detail inFIG. 2, which are spring-biased to the fully extended position by meansof springs 19. Shafts 27, which ride in slots 25 in the upper surface ofmain bar portion 22, connectbolts 18 with knobs 17, which enable thebolts to be retracted against the pressure of springs 19.

When installing locking device in track 12, as shown in FIG. 1, itsoverall length must be trimmed to make it equal to the width of theleft-hand panel, so that when it is in place on track 12, the right-handpanel cannot be moved. Holes 23 are then drilled in the lower horizontalportion of frame 1 1, of the proper size to receive sliding bolts 18, asshown in FIG. 2. Locking device 15 may then be placed on track 12 withbolts 18 retracted by means of knobs l7, and after the locking device isin place, knobs 17 are released and bolts 18 allowed to enter holes 23.

As can be seen, with locking device 15 securely in place, the right-handpanel will be incapable of movement. If the left-hand panel is also asliding closure, as shown in FIG. 2, it too will be held againstmovement by virtue of the locking action of bolts 18. When it is desiredto open either of the closures for ventilation, pull ring 21 is graspedand shorter portion 24 of the locking device is raised, as shown in FIG.4. Now, either the right-hand or the left-hand panel may be moved apredetermined distance until frame 16 abuts against main bar portion 22.However, as will be readily observed, the locking device 15, withportion 24 in its raised position, still performs its security functionand its intruder, seeking ingress from the outside, will find itvirtually impossible to remove the locking device from track 12 and gainentry to the dwelling.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention. For example, bolts 18 may be eliminated whenthe invention is utilized with a single sliding panel. In addition, itshould be noted that the present invention is equally adaptable tosliding windows and sliding doors. Therefore, it is intended that thescope of tance, and transversely extensible means movably mounted insaid stationary portion and being lockingly engageable with the otherclosure member for retaining said blocking bar in said track.

2. The locking device set forth in claim 1, wherein said retaining meanscomprises at least one transverse bolt.

3. The locking device set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least onebolt is slidably mounted in said stationary portion for engagingcorresponding recess means in said other closure member.

4. The locking device set forth in claim 3, wherein said retaining meanscomprises two spring-loaded transverse bolts slidably mounted in saidstationary portion, and further includes upwardly projecting fingergripping means for retracting said bolts from said recess means.

I 5. The locking device set forth in claim 4, wherein said pivotableportion is hinged to said stationary portion.

6. The locking device set forth in claim 5, further including a grippingmember mounted on said pivotable

1. A locking device for a pair of adjacent closure members having atleast one closure member slidable on a track parallel to the otherclosure member comprising a blocking bar shaped for insertion in saidtrack, said blocking bar comprising a relatively long stationary portionand a relatively short pivotable portion which may be raised from saidtrack to permit said slidable closure member to be moved a predetermineddistance, and transversely extensible means movably mounted in saidstationary portion and being lockingly engageable with the other closuremember for retaining said blocking bar in said track.
 2. The lockingdevice set forth in claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises atleast one transverse bolt.
 3. The locking device set forth in claim 2,wherein said at least one bolt is slidably mounted in said stationaryportion for engaging corresponding recess means in said other closuremember.
 4. The locking device set forth in claim 3, wherein saidretaining means comprises two spring-loaded transverse bolts slidablymounted in said stationary portion, and further includes upwardlyprojecting finger gripping means for retracting said bolts from saidrecess means.
 5. The locking device set forth in claim 4, wherein saidpivotable portion is hinged to said stationary portion.
 6. The lockingdevice set forth in claim 5, further including a gripping member mountedon said pivotable portion for raising it from said track.